As summer descends, concerns continue to mount that the Zika virus will spread in Texas over the coming months. In response, the City of Amarillo’s Public Health and Environmental Health departments have launched campaign called Mission Mosquito. The goal is to educate the public on how to prevent mosquito bites and reduce breeding areas in the city, reports MyHighPlains.com.
Public Health Director Casie Stoughton explains: “Mosquitoes carry a number of diseases including West Nile, Zika, Dengue and Chickungunya.” He adds that simple prevention steps can reduce your risk for all diseases related to mosquitoes. The City of Amarillo is doing everything it can to decrease mosquitoes. You can help by using the four “Ds”:
· Drain all standing water
· Dress in long sleeves and pants
· DEET: wear insect repellant with DEET
· Daily: All day every day
For more information about Zika visit www.TexasZika.org or www.cdc.gov/Zika.
For info regarding West Nile, visit www.cdc.gov/WestNile.